The aristocratic exploitation of this system began during the mid-seventh century BC, and laws were often amended to benefit the aristocracy.

[9] To minimize the incidence of these feuds, the governing aristocratic families of Athens decided to abandon their concealed system of legal proposals and amendments and promulgate them to Athenian society in writing.

They authorized Draco, an aristocratic legislator,[10] to construct the written constitution, and he began to write the text around 621 BC.

[14] And Draco himself, they say, being asked why he made death the penalty for most offences, replied that in his opinion the lesser ones deserved it, and for the greater ones no heavier penalty could be found.Although the full Draconian constitution no longer exists, severe punishments were reportedly meted out to those convicted of offenses as minor as stealing an apple.

[15] There may have been only one penalty, execution, for all convicted violators of the Draconian constitution[16] and the laws were said to be written in blood instead of ink.

[18] Hoplites were entitled to participate in political life;[19][20] they could vote and hold minor state official positions.

[22] The Athenian strategoi (generals) and hipparchoi (cavalry commanders) were chosen from those holding unencumbered property worth at least 100 minas with offspring over 10 years of age who were born in wedlock.

[34] Aristotle's timeline of the Draconian constitution is characterized by the vague phrase "not very long after": Such, then, is the relative chronological precedence of these offices.

The Council of Areopagus had as its constitutionally assigned duty the protection of the laws; but in point of fact it administered the greater and most important part of the government of the state, and inflicted personal punishments and fines summarily upon all who misbehaved themselves.

The nine Archons and the Treasurers were elected by this body from persons possessing an unencumbered property of not less than ten minas, the less important officials from those who could furnish themselves with a military equipment, and the generals [Strategi] and commanders of the cavalry [Hipparchi] from those who could show an unencumbered property of not less than a hundred minas, and had children born in lawful wedlock over ten years of age.

[35] A relationship between current officials and the Prytanes, strategoi and hipparchoi of the preceding year concerning financial securities is a controversial text in the Oxford Classical Text edition of Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians, translated by Frederic G. Kenyon: These officers were required to hold to bail the Prytanes, the Strategi, and the Hipparchi of the preceding year until their accounts had been audited, taking four securities of the same class as that to which the Strategi and the Hipparchi belonged.Until the discovery of Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians, Draco was not considered a political reformer.